Abstract: Power line patterns are, together with a ground pattern, provided separately from control line patterns. The power line pattern is formed at first and second major surfaces of a circuit board. When the circuit board is viewed in plan view, the power line pattern and the power line pattern form a line structure in which the power line pattern and the power line pattern are in parallel with and opposite to each other and the power line pattern is positioned under the power line pattern. The circuit board includes a dielectric between the power line pattern and the power line pattern. These together form an equivalent capacitor and the magnetic flux induced by the current flowing through the power line pattern and the magnetic flux induced by the current flowing through the power line pattern cancel each other out.

Abstract: A power transistor and a cascode transistor are connected in series. A driver circuit has an output driving a control terminal of the power transistor. The driver circuit has a first power supply node coupled to receive a floating voltage that is also applied to a control terminal of the cascode transistor. A variable voltage generator generates the floating voltage. The floating voltage track either a power supply voltage or a reference voltage over a first range of voltage levels for the power supply voltage. The floating voltage further satisfies a ratio metric relationship dependent on the power supply voltage and reference voltage over a second range of voltage levels for said power supply voltage.

Abstract: A circuit for minimizing energy provided to a ground fault includes a source, a multiple switches, an output filter, and a controller. The switches include a first side pair of switches and a second side pair of switches configured to provide an output signal based on the source. The output filter includes one or more energy storage elements coupled to the first side pair of switches or the second side pair of switches. The controller is configured to receive a ground fault signal that indicates a fault has occurred and configured to generate a switch signal for the switches for a minimum energy state of the output filter and in response to the ground fault signal.

Abstract: A digital average-input current-mode control loop for a DC/DC power converter. The power converter may be, for example, a buck converter, boost converter, or cascaded buck-boost converter. The purpose of the proposed control loop is to set the average converter input current to the requested current. Controlling the average input current can be relevant for various applications such as power factor correction (PFC), photovoltaic converters, and more. The method is based on predicting the inductor current based on measuring the input voltage, the output voltage, and the inductor current. A fast cycle-by-cycle control loop may be implemented. The conversion method is described for three different modes. For each mode a different control loop is used to control the average input current, and the control loop for each of the different modes is described. Finally, the algorithm for switching between the modes is disclosed.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a switching power circuit compares a reference voltage with a feedback voltage of an output voltage, and controls the output voltage in accordance with the reference voltage, in which in a case where the output current is greater than a predetermined set current, the voltage of the reference voltage is decreased.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a power supply switch that includes a voltage generator, a switch circuit, and a confirmation circuit. The voltage generator is configured to compare a first power supply voltage to a second power supply voltage and to output the first power supply voltage or the second power supply voltage as a bulk voltage (Vbulk). The switch circuit includes one or more transistors and is configured to (i) bias bulk terminals of the one or more transistors with the Vbulk and (ii) output either the first power supply voltage or the second power supply voltage as a voltage output signal. The confirmation circuit is configured to output a confirmation signal that indicates whether the voltage output signal transitioned from the first power supply voltage to the second power supply voltage.

Abstract: In a method for operating an inverter for converting DC voltage into AC voltage, having at least one DC/DC step-up converter for converting a DC input voltage applied at the step-up converter DC input into an output voltage higher by a voltage stroke, an intermediate circuit, a DC/AC converter and an AC output for connection to a supply network and/or consumers, a voltage ripple is superimposed on the intermediate circuit voltage and in each step-up converter a switch is switched on/off with a specific switching frequency and a specific duty cycle, for measuring the output voltage of each step-up converter and the intermediate circuit voltage including the voltage ripple. A minimum voltage stroke of each step-up converter is dynamically calculated as a function of the respective measured step-up converter input voltage and the measured intermediate circuit voltage ripple, which minimizes the intermediate circuit voltage setpoint.

Abstract: An embodiment buck converter control circuit comprises an error amplifier configured to generate an error signal based on a feedback signal and a reference signal, a pulse generator circuit configured to generate a pulsed signal having switching cycles set to high and low as a function of the error signal, a driver circuit configured to generate a drive signal for an electronic switch of the buck converter as a function of the pulsed signal, a variable load, connected between two output terminals of the buck converter, configured to absorb a current based on a control signal, and a detector circuit configured to monitor a first signal indicative of an output current provided by the buck converter and a second signal indicative of a negative transient of the output current, and verify whether the second signal indicates a negative transient of the output current.

Abstract: A power converter circuit included in a computer system that regulated a power supply voltage used by other circuits in the computer system. The power converter includes a primary control circuit that selectively activates multiple phase circuits coupled to respective driver circuits, which are coupled to a power supply node via respective inductors. Some of the driver circuits are located on a separate integrated circuit from the primary control circuit and the multiple phase circuits.

Abstract: Systems and methods that automatically detect state of switches in power converters are disclosed. In one aspect, a power switch includes a first switch coupled between a power input node and a first terminal of a load, a second switch coupled between the power input node and a second terminal of the load, first and second current sense devices arranged to transmit first and second signals including at least one of a magnitude and polarity of first and second currents through the first and second switches, respectively, a first driver circuit arranged to transmit first control signals to the first switch based at least in part on a voltage at the power input node and the first signal, and a second driver circuit arranged to transmit second control signals to the second switch based at least in part on the voltage at the power input node and the second signal.

Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes a high-side switch coupled between a first power supply and an output terminal, a low-side switch coupled between a second power supply and the output terminal, an inductor coupled to the output terminal, and a reverse current monitoring circuit that determines that a reverse current from the inductor to the output terminal occurs when the output terminal becomes a high voltage during a state in which the high-side switch and the low-side switch are in a dead time.

Abstract: A controller for a SIMO DC-DC converter operable in CCM and DCM receives a signal representative of an inductor current, and signals representative of a first and a second DC-DC converter output. The controller has a first and second output adapted to control electronic switches coupled to a first and second output filter, and a third and fourth output adapted to control current in an inductor. The controller controls the outputs based upon the inputs by determining a desired PWL inductor current and current waveform, and determines pulsewidths of the outputs, to match the inductor current to the desired PWL. A timer controls pulsewidths of the outputs and the controller dynamically selects DCM or CCM to maintain the first and second DC-DC converter outputs at predetermined levels. In embodiments, the desired PWL inductor current is one or both of a desired valley current and a desired peak current.

Abstract: A system includes: 1) a battery configured to provide an input voltage (VIN); 2) switching converter circuitry coupled to the battery, wherein the switching converter circuitry includes a power switch; 3) a load coupled to an output of the switching converter circuitry; and 4) a control circuit coupled to the power switch. The control circuit includes: 1) a switch driver circuit coupled to the power switch; 2) a summing comparator circuit configured to output a first control signal that indicates when to turn the power switch on; and 3) an analog on-time extension circuit configured to extend an on-time of the power switch by gating a second control signal with the first control signal, wherein the second control signal indicates when to turn the power switch off.

Abstract: According to an aspect, a power supply system includes a plurality of power converters configured to deliver a system load current to a load, where the system load current is a combination of individual load currents provided by the plurality of power converters, and a system performance controller configured to detect a value of the system load current. The system performance controller is configured to determine, using power loss information, values for the individual load currents such that a composite efficiency achieves a threshold condition. The system performance controller is configured to generate control signals to operate the plurality of power converters at the determined values.

Abstract: A power converter for detecting oscillation of an output voltage including a switching regulator configured to perform switching so that an inductor is alternatively connected to or isolated from an external power voltage and generate the output voltage by a current that flows through the inductor and an oscillation detector configured to detect oscillation that occurs in the output voltage and output an oscillation detection signal by determining whether the oscillation belongs to an oscillation frequency detection range to be detected by the oscillation detector may be provided.

Abstract: Circuit structures and methods are described for achieving zero voltage switching in flying capacitor converters for both isolated and non-isolated applications. A first method is described in which zero voltage switching is achieved by operating the circuit with a variable frequency so that each switch in its on state remains on until the magnetizing current in a main inductor is reversed to a current magnitude sufficient to drive a zero voltage switching transition for a main switch. A second method is implemented with a main coupled inductor wherein a winding current is reversed and energy in a leakage inductance drives a zero voltage switching transition for a main switch. A third method is implemented with auxiliary inductors, auxiliary switches, and auxiliary capacitors which reverse the current in the auxiliary inductor which provides the necessary energy for driving a zero voltage switching transition for a main switch.

Abstract: Provided is a switching control circuit used for a switching power supply device for generating an output voltage from an input voltage. The switching control circuit includes an intermittent operation mode for repeating an active period in which an output switching element of the switching power supply device is switched and an inactive period in which the output switching element is not switched. The switching control circuit is provided with a modulation unit for modulating a pulse frequency of a switching control signal during the active period, and performs control of switching of the output switching element by the switching control signal during the active period.

Abstract: A circuit includes a first passive device between supply and bias nodes, a first switching device and a second passive device between the bias and a reference node, a transistor between the supply and an output node, a third passive device and a second switching device between the output and a feedback node, a fourth passive device between the feedback and reference nodes, a third switching device between the supply and output nodes, and an amplifier controlling the transistor based on bias node and feedback node voltages. In a first mode, the first and second switching devices are off, the third switching device is on, and the supply node receives a first voltage level. In a second mode, the first and second switching devices are on, the third switching device is off, and a second voltage level greater than the first voltage level is received on the supply node.

Abstract: A buck converter includes an output stage, a FCVB control circuit and a driver. The output stage includes a plurality of switches and a flying capacitor, wherein the switches are connected in series, the flying capacitor is coupled between two of the switches, and the output stage is configured to receive an input voltage to generate an output voltage. The FCVB control circuit is configured to compare a voltage of the flying capacitor with half of the input voltage to generate a comparison result, and the FCVB control circuit further responds to the comparison result to generate a first control signal and a second control signal based on a first PWM signal and a second PWM signal. The driver is configured to generate a plurality of diving signals according to the first control signal and the second control signal, wherein the driving signals are arranged to control the switches, respectively.

Abstract: Quasi-Constant On-Time Controller. At least one example embodiment is a method of operating a power converter, comprising: charging an inductor of a switching power converter, each charging has an on-time; and then discharging the inductor while providing current to the load; and repeating the charging and the discharging at a switching frequency. During the repeating, the example method may comprise: adjusting the switching frequency proportional to a voltage difference between an output voltage and a setpoint voltage; generating an on-time reference proportional to a frequency difference between the switching frequency and a setpoint frequency, the on-time of each charging of the inductor is based on the on-time reference; and modifying the on-time proportional to the voltage difference.